FOOD NEWS
What's The Distinction Between A Burger And A Patty Melt?
By Jonathan Kesh
Most people may not know the difference between a burger and a patty melt. Although they’re similar, these two sandwiches are not quite the same.
A burger is a freshly cooked patty (usually beef) served between two hamburger buns, often topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and condiments.
A patty melt is a hot sandwich with ground beef, cheese, and caramelized onions served on sliced bread, not hamburger buns. This is probably the easiest way to distinguish the two.
Most aficionados would say that a proper patty melt uses Swiss cheese and griddled rye bread, but it would still be a patty melt if you use a different variety of bread or cheese.
"Melt" can mean a lot of things when it comes to sandwiches, and patty melts are just one variety. The name itself refers to its most important ingredient — the melted cheese.
Melts often include some kind of protein, such as ground beef, turkey, or tuna. They tend to be American but share similarities with other foods from around the world.